Gleeson shines in home victory
HAWK Green welcomed Tattenhall to Rhode Field on Saturday, the ground looking exceptional in the sunshine – may this continue for many more weekends.
On winning the toss the Greens skipper, Elliot Young, asked the visitors to take first knock.
Tattenhall openers Tom Hyslop and Brett Taylor faced the Greens’ opening attack of Jack Needham and Ryan Stringer.
After a couple of overs both batsmen appeared to be having no problem and Hyslop in particular pounced on any loose bowling, striking three fours and a maximum in his total of 20 before he fell to Needham with an excellent catch from Sam Messxih, 26-1.
Next to the crease and next to leave was Stu Sadler who, after just four balls, was comprehensively bowled by Needham for a duck, 26-2.
This brought Ethan-Jai Evans to the crease. With Taylor firmly entrenched at one end, Evans took the attack to the fielding team with a series of excellent strokes for boundaries and one huge maximum.
Skipper Young’s next move was to prove pivotal in the outcome of the game as he changed pace for spin with Jordan Henderson and Young himself coming into the attack.
They had an immediate impact as Henderson removed Taylor, caught and bowled for 14, 58-3.
This became 58-4 as Henderson bowled Archie Mobbs after just three balls face for a duck, 58-4.
Evans eventually fell to a great catch by Needham for 47, giving Young his first wicket, 83-5. This signalled a collapse as the spinners took total control with a further three wickets falling.
With the score on 91, the sixth wicket fell to Young as he removed Harvey Salt, bowled for 7.
Adrian Waddelove finally fell lbw to Henderson following a 47-ball vigil for just 1 run while Alan Brock fell first ball to Henderson with yet another catch by Needham.
Roy Sandford was the ninth wicket to fall when he was caught by Messih off the bowling of Young for a duck, 96-9.
A brief cameo from Mel Dobson and Freddie Cheshire took the score to 110 before Young removed Dobson, leaving Cheshire not out on 10. Pick of the Greens bowlers were Henderson 11 overs 4-18 and Young 7.3 overs 4-8.
In reply, Jason Downey and Josh Hampson opened for the Green against the visitors attack of Hyslop and Hyde and it was the former who struck first as he removed Downey for a duck caught by Sandford, 0-1.
Next to the crease was Tearan Gleeson who, after a short time during which he assessed both the wicket and the bowling, gave no indication as to what was to unfold.
He suddenly took the attack to the fielding side with a series of shots to grace any game, back foot cover drives punched for four, front foot extra cover drives and exquisite flicks off his toes. The Green raced along at an exhilarating pace.
Throughout this he had the perfect foil in Hampson who, whilst quite capable of taking the attack to the opposition, is more than capable of playing a support role and he did this admirably, enabling Gleeson to keep the strike rate moving.
Unfortunately, with victory in sight, Gleeson was bowled by Dobson for 70, 97-2.
Hampson, 29 not out, saw the Green to victory with Skelton 4 not out.
So the Green finished 111-2, an excellent victory and a further 25 points. Match ball sponsors for the game were Littlewood butchers, purveyors of fine meat and pastries.
The Greens 2nd XI travelled to Woodford and asked the hosts to take first knock. After restricting them to 144-7 they knocked off the runs in just 30 overs for the loss of only five wickets.
Next week the 1st XI are away to Upton, wickets pitched 12 noon.